New food waste caddies will be rolled out across north Derbyshire - in a bid to cut the county’s £1million a month landfill tax.

For the first time households in Chesterfield, Bolsover and north east Derbyshire will be able to recycle food leftovers in their green bins.

Residents will receive a kitchen caddy which once full can be emptied in to the recycling bin.

The waste will then be taken to Derbyshire County Council’s new hi-tech £6.65million composting facility in Arkwright.

County councillor Joan Dixon said: “The new food and garden waste recycling service is a major step forward in reducing landfill which costs the county council £17.383 million a year - including landfill tax which costs Derbyshire taxpayers more than £1 million a month.

“The county council needs to cut its budget by £157m by 2018 and our current landfill bill is one we cannot afford in the future.”

Up to 40,000 tonnes of food and garden rubbish can be taken to the plant each year and turned in to compost during an eight-week process and then sold for farming and agricultural use.

The facility has brought more jobs to the area with seven full time equivalent posts.

Residents who have green bins will receive a leaflet explaining the changes.

Chesterfield borough councillor Chris Ludlow said: “We appreciate that when you are preparing or cleaning up after meals you might not want to go outside to your green bin so the caddies offer a way of collecting this waste until a time in the day when it is convenient.”